U of M study shows promoting self-weighing in teens is not helpful to weight management

Teenage girls who weigh themselves frequently are more likely to binge eat and participate in unhealthy weight control behaviors in the future, according to new research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

A study published in the December 2006 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health found frequent self-weighing in teenage females did not help with better weight management and predicted increased rates of binge eating and other unhealthy weight control behaviors, such as skipping meals, smoking, taking diet pills, using laxatives, and vomiting.

As a society, so much attention is given to weight and staying within a specific number range to maintain a healthy lifestyle, said Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D., lead author and professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. This study shows that encouraging teens to focus on weight as a number is not helpful, and in fact, could be harmful.

Researchers conducted a longitudinal study of more than 2,000 adolescents to examine changes in eating patterns and weight status over five years. Subjects completed two Project EAT: Eating Among Teens surveys - one in 1999 and one in 2004 - to determine if those who reported frequent self-weighing were at an increased risk for obesity and eating disorders.

The study found the average weight gain during a five-year period was nearly twice as high among teenage girls who reported weighing themselves frequently. Self-weighing also predicted increased rates of binge eating, smoking, vomiting, and skipping meals. This led researchers to conclude that strategies which focus on behavioral change, rather than weight, may be more helpful for teens.

We should tread cautiously before recommending that teens weigh themselves frequently when trying to manage weight, said Neumark-Sztainer, who is also the author of the book, Im, Like, So Fat!: Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices About Eati'"/>

(Date:9/26/2017)... Milford, PA (PRWEB) , ... September 26, 2017 , ... ... month in Chicago, called “The Magic of Fat,” revealed not only the latest about ... might prove to be an evolution in cosmetic medicine. , “Fat really is magical, ...

(Date:9/26/2017)... ... ... “How to Live in the Millennium”: a gripping take on how the author used ... part of everyday life and do not affect daily choices. It shows how to ... words, and actions that are chosen. “How to Live in the Millennium” is the ...

(Date:9/26/2017)... ... September 26, 2017 , ... “Sound of My Song”: an intriguing ... of published author, Karmen Worden, a retired teacher with a passion for music and ... an intriguing and inspiring story on loss, living with depression, and finding love through ...

(Date:9/26/2017)... ... ... story of the author and the exciting times this adventurer has lived through. “The Tour ... and the subject of the book. , “Quickly slapping a large smile on my ... off as a part of the adventure tour, an “added bonus” story they would never ...

(Date:9/26/2017)... ... 2017 , ... Time out for Daddy is a moving story of a ... grownups make mistakes. “Time Out for Daddy” is the creation of published author Debra ... whose passion for children inspired her to write this book. , Published by Christian ...

(Date:9/5/2017)... -- Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ORMP ) ... focused on the development of oral drug delivery systems, ... with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding ... At the meeting, the FDA ... of ORMD-0801, would be a Biologics License Application (BLA). ...

(Date:8/31/2017)... 31, 2017 PM360,s annual Innovations Issue, ... the latest innovations happening across the industry. Established six ... focus on providing a comprehensive look at the newest ... the most innovative companies, startups, divisions, products, services, and ... "Everyone in this industry wants to do ...